Safety neck-yoke ring.



' G. H. FOLSOM &v A. RUSSELL.

SAFETY NECK YOKE RING.

APPLICATION FILED no. 29, 1908.

- Patented Aug. 3, 1909 UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

GARDNER H. FOLSOM, OF GORDON, AND ARTHUR RUSSELL, OF MERRIMAN, NEBRASKA.

SAFETY NECK-YOKE RING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GARDNER H. FOL- SOM and ARTHUR RUssRLL, citizens of the United States, residing at Gordon and Merrinian, in the counties of Sheridan and Cherry and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Safety Neck-Yoke Ring, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to the coupling for connecting the yoke stick to the draft pole of the vehicle, and the obj ect of the present invention is to provide a coupling which will securely hold the pole.

The invention comprises a ring consisting of two pivotally connected sections, which are so mounted on the pole and connected to the yoke stick, that the pole will be automatically gripped by the ring sections upon a pull being exerted on the yoke stick.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the ring.

In the drawings 5 denotes the draft pole of a vehicle, and 6 is the yokestick. The coupling for connecting these parts comprises a ring, which is in two sections, indicated at 7 and 8, respectively. The ring is slipped over the draft pole, and at the outer ends of the respective sections are eyes 9, for the attachment of chains 10, or other suitable means, whereby the yoke stick is connected to the ring. The ring sections are pivotally connected, the ring section 7 being formed at the joint with slots 11, to receive the reduced ends 12 of the ring section 8, through which parts the pivot bolts 13 pass, whereby the pivotal connection between the ring sections is had. The two pivots connecting the two ends of the ring sections are in alinement, and said pivots are in a vertical plane. The purpose of connecting the ring sections by vertical pivots will be described hereinafter. The abutting ends of the ring sections are rounded oif on one side, so that the said sections may swing on their pivots. On the opposite side said ring sections come squarely together, whereby they are prevented from swinging in that direction.

In use, the ring is slipped over the draft pole, and the yoke stick is connected thereto by means of the chains, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. By reason of the pivotal connection between the ring sections, it will be seen that when a pull is exerted on the yoke stick, the sections swing in a direction to fold upon each other, which brings their inner edges closer together, and causes said edges to grip the pole. This gripping action, by

reason of the vertical pivots of the ring sec-.

tions, takes place on opposite sides of the pole, and the harder the pull, the tighter the draft pole will be gripped by the ring sections. The pull on the yoke stick is trans mitted to the ring sections by the chains 10, and, by connecting the yoke stick to each ring section, it will be seen that a straight pull is not necessary to bring about the hereindescribed gripping action, apull on either chain resulting in a swinging of the ring section to which said chain is attached, and said ring section then gripping one side of the draft pole. A pull on both chains of course results in a gripping action on both sides of the pole.

The device herein described is simple in construction, and can be readily applied, no especially constructed draft pole or neck yoke stick being necesary. It is strong and durable, and especially adapted for heavy vehicles, and it effectually serves the purpose for which it is designed.

What is claimed is 1. A neck yoke ring comprising pivotally connected sections, the pivots thereof being vertically disposed, and a connection between each of said ring sections and the yoke stick.

2. A neck yoke ring comprising pivoted sections adapted to grip the draft pole when swung on their pivots, and a connection between each of said ring sections and the yoke stick.

3. A neck yoke ring comprising a pair of pivotally connected members, between which the draft pole is received, and a connection between each of said members and the yoke stick.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses WV. E. MITCHELL, W. E. BROWN. 

